It is normal procedure to provide appropriate types and quantities of surgical instruments and materials for a specific surgical procedure as a unitary package that has previously been sterilized. Prior to or during an operation, the instruments and materials are removed from the package and laid out on a Mayo table or other surface so that they are readily accessible to the surgeon performing the operation.
A typical instrument package may include a basket or tray in which the instruments are placed. Fixating means such as a finger mat or post may be provided to fix the positions of the instrument in the basket or tray so that the instruments do not become co-mingled or damaged when the basket or tray is moved about.
As shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,643,303, 4,671,943 and 4,798,292, the basket or tray may be a rigid box-like container with a removable cover to protectively enclose the instruments. Also, in some cases, fixation modules are provided to segregate and fix the positions of the instruments; see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,303. Invariably, however, there is little flexibility in the placement of those modules within the container and only a single layer of trays is allowed in the container. This limits the number and variety of instruments that may be sterilized in the container at one time.
The prior sterilizing apparatus employing such containers are disadvantaged also because openings for the passage of steam or other sterilant are only present in the top and bottom walls of the container. There is no provision for lateral circulation of fluid sterilant to and from the container. Therefore, the sterilization is slower than need be.
This factor also limits the ability of the user to stack instrument-fixating modules within the prior containers without further inhibiting proper circulation of the sterilant through the container.